A trip along the Turquoise Trail can result in numerous wildlife sightings, as some 83 species of mammals make this region their home. Watch for coyotes and bobcats, the occasional cougar and even black bears, though they are more often seen in the Sandias than the Ortiz and San Pedro mountains to the east. Also common are black-tailed jackrabbits ,cottontails and bushy-tailed rock squirrels. Mule deer also roam this region, but they are rarely seen. Most common are the pocket gophers, and their burrow mounds are also easy to spot.